Mouth breathing is the cause of anxiety

[fullpockets]

Hi, I wonder why no one talks about mouth breathing? I mean isn't an obvious culprit of anxiety? When you breathe through the mouth your body gets a lack of oxygen and carbon dioxide which causes anxiety. On top of the fact it causes anxiety and insomnia, it also causes long face syndrome and dental deformities.... I seriously don't understand why we don't know anything about mouth breathing or that you never hear about it... Also if you Google mouth breathing treatment or cures not much comes up... I tried some product I think was called mouth breather x or something like that and it stopped me from mouth breathing, now I am a nose breather, and look better too!... I mean that is seriously like the only treatment out there.... its just a mouth strap thing you use at night for 3 weeks with some ebook that I guess had some pretty helpful tips,,,, so just letting you guys know what I used.... but really just curious why we don't know more about mouth breathing? maybe because it is such a simple cure doctors would rather sell medicine just to alleviate symptoms and have you keep seeing them but not cure the actual problem so they can keep making more money.... what do you guys think, shouldn't this been on the forefront of health issues?

"Low carbon dioxide levels affect the Nervous System. This puts the body on alert. Continued bad breathing causes exhaustion, tiredness and depression. Oxygen levels are lower in the brain and this means we cannot concentrate and can feel not real and cut off. The drop in oxygen levels stimulates the Breathing Control Centre which then increases the breathing rate"

"breathing out too much CO2, actually caused your red blood cells to take up less O2, since it needs Co2 to create the balance"
(written by PanicCured at anxiety forum.net)

"correct breathing will stop the production of stress hormones (cortisol, non-adrenalin and adrenalin)"

"Symptoms that may be experienced

Light headiness, giddiness, dizziness, shortness of breath, heart palpitation, numbness, chest pains, dry mouth, clammy hands, difficulty in swallowing, sweating, weakness, fatigue.

It takes a lot more energy when we are breathing wrong so that can help us to feel very tired."

"Now breathe through the nose with the mouth shut. How does that feel? The air is warm and also filtered of germs so is much healthier."


-->So mouth breathing makes you breathe quicker (versus nose breathing) which in turn maxes the body anxious. When you breathe through the nose you take deeper breathes (Diaphragmatic breathing); the diaphragm's "sole purpose is to supply the right amount of air to the lungs during rest and normal activity."
"What this does is restore the chemical imbalance and it will calm the mind and body down, which will reduce the symptoms."

See:
www <dot> nopanic <dot> org <dot> uk/important-...-help-anxiety/
www <dot> mouthbreather <dot> org
** note the mouthbreather . org^ website is where i got the mouth breather x thing to stop my mouth breathing and start nose breathing


I am obviously not saying this is a one size fits all cure (most things are not, especially with anxiety and insomnia). But I know it has helped me and I think it can help many other people. Just a little bewildered how this doesn't seem to be brought up. What do you guys think?

[PanicCured]

Hi, I wonder why no one talks about mouth breathing? I mean isn't an obvious culprit of anxiety? When you breathe through the mouth your body gets a lack of oxygen and carbon dioxide which causes anxiety.... I seriously don't understand why we don't know anything about mouth breathing or that you never hear about it... Also if you Google mouth breathing treatment or cures not much comes up... I tried some product I think was called mouth breather x or something like that and it stopped me from mouth breathing, now I am a nose breather, and look better too!... I mean that is seriously like the only treatment out there.... its just a mouth strap thing you use at night for 3 weeks with some ebook that I guess had some pretty helpful tips,,,, so just letting you guys know what I used.... but really just curious why we don't know more about mouth breathing? maybe because it is such a simple cure doctors would rather sell medicine just to alleviate symptoms and have you keep seeing them but not cure the actual problem so they can keep making more money.... what do you guys think, shouldn't this been on the forefront of health issues?

"Low carbon dioxide levels affect the Nervous System. This puts the body on alert. Continued bad breathing causes exhaustion, tiredness and depression. Oxygen levels are lower in the brain and this means we cannot concentrate and can feel not real and cut off. The drop in oxygen levels stimulates the Breathing Control Centre which then increases the breathing rate"

"correct breathing will stop the production of stress hormones (cortisol, non-adrenalin and adrenalin)"

"Symptoms that may be experienced

Light headiness, giddiness, dizziness, shortness of breath, heart palpitation, numbness, chest pains, dry mouth, clammy hands, difficulty in swallowing, sweating, weakness, fatigue.

It takes a lot more energy when we are breathing wrong so that can help us to feel very tired."

"Now breathe through the nose with the mouth shut. How does that feel? The air is warm and also filtered of germs so is much healthier."


-->So mouth breathing makes you breathe quicker (versus nose breathing) which in turn maxes the body anxious. When you breathe through the nose you take deeper breathes (Diaphragmatic breathing); the diaphragm's "sole purpose is to supply the right amount of air to the lungs during rest and normal activity."
"What this does is restore the chemical imbalance and it will calm the mind and body down, which will reduce the symptoms."

See:
www <dot> nopanic <dot> org <dot> uk/important-...-help-anxiety/
www <dot> mouthbreather <dot> org


I am obviously not saying this is a one size fits all cure (most things are not, especially with anxiety and insomnia). But I know it has helped me and I think it can help many other people. Just a little bewildered how this doesn't seem to be brought up. What do you guys think?

EXCELLENT POST! Great work!

I have written much about the CO2/O2 balance in which you can read some of mine still up in the stickies! Mouth breathing is a huge culprit as well as over breathing. When I was knee deep in a massive panic disorder I discovered Buteyko breathing. When I learned how breathing out too much CO2, actually caused your red blood cells to take up less O2, since it needs Co2 to create the balance, I was amazed! Just this knowledge alone was a life saver!

I used to get anxiety and start breathing more an more, deeper and deeper feeling like I needed more oxygen. Once I learned that when anxious to under breathe, my mind was blown. After 1 week of practicing Buteyko breathing exercises and stopping to over breathing, my anxiety was cut in half!

There is a delicate balance. When you exercise you breathe more naturally than at rest which is normal. Breathing should match the metabolic rate. But when it is offset by breathing through your mouth or too much, a cascade of symptoms can be caused, some of which are anxiety.

[fullpockets]

exactly PanicCured, I couldn't have said it bettermyself! "breathing out too much CO2, actually caused your red blood cells to take up less O2, since it needs Co2 to create the balance" (i quoted you in my first post;))

Spot on, I think more awareness needs to be done about mouth breathing's side effects!

[Kirk]

I have been a mouth breather as long as I can remember. I yawn and sigh a lot.

[fullpockets]

well if you read my first post it says mouth breathers use a lot more energy then nose breathers thus making them fatigued and tired... might want to learn to correct mouth breathing so you can become a nose breather!

[Kirk]

My nasal passages are clogged quite a bit and I have been to an ENT physician before and their is really nothing that can be done, so I have learned to live with it.

[fullpockets]

I had the same problem, always had a stuffy nose. Really, once I started sleeping through the night with that mouth breather device forcing me to breathe with my nose, it started unclogging little by little and now I can breathe through my nose without any difficulties.

"Can I use The Mouth Breather X if I have a stuffy nose?
Yes, of course you can! I suffer from allergies and sinuses and always had a stuffy nose. Little to my amazement after using my device for a few nights, little by little I could start breathing easier through my nose. The human body corrects itself when trying to improve one function. So after about a week breathing through my nose felt natural and after the 3 weeks it became a habit."
(www<dot>mouthbreather<dot>org/faq)

[PanicCured]

exactly PanicCured, I couldn't have said it bettermyself! "breathing out too much CO2, actually caused your red blood cells to take up less O2, since it needs Co2 to create the balance" (i quoted you in my first post;))

Spot on, I think more awareness needs to be done about mouth breathing's side effects!


From Anxiety free: stop worrying and quieten your mind by PATRICK MCKEWON



Normal breathing volume
The number of breaths per minute during normal breathing is about 10 to 12. Each breath is approximately 500 ml. This provides a healthy volume, as described in any university medical textbook, of five to six litres of air per minute. Normal breathing is quiet, still, calm, relaxed and regular.
Persons suffering from anxiety and depression breathe a volume greater than normally accepted amounts. For example, an average sized person with anxiety might breathe 15 to 20 breaths per minute, with each breath larger than the normal 500 ml. Interspersed with this is a number of sighs. Assuming that each breath is 700 ml, the average breathing volume for this person is 10 to 15 litres of air per minute. In food terms, this is akin to eating six to nine meals each day!
Chronic overbreathing
Chronic overbreathing basically means that we habitually breathe more air than what our bodies require. In many ways, this is similar to a person developing the habit of overeating.
Breathing is similar. If we breathe more than what our bodies require over a 24-hour period, the habit takes hold. Dr Stephen Demeter confirms this when he states, “Prolonged hyperventilation (for more than 24 hours) seems to sensitize the brain, leading to a more prolonged hyperventilation.” (1)
What increases breathing volume?
Breathing increases as a result of modern living. Factors such as strong emotions, time urgency, tension, anger, stress, anxiety, overeating, processed foods, a belief that taking big breaths is good, lack of exercise, excessive talking and high temperatures within the home all contribute to overbreathing.
How to recognise habitual overbreathing
At this point, you might think that you don’t overbreathe. For most people, overbreathing is subtle. It is hidden, which is why it often goes undetected. The typical characteristics of people attending my clinics include:
• Breathing through the mouth; • Audible breathing during rest; • Regular sighs;
• Regular sniffing;
• Irregular breathing;
• Holding of the breath (apnoea);
• Taking large breaths prior to talking;
• Yawning with big breaths;
• Upper chest movement;
• Movement of shoulders while breathing; • Lot of visible movement;
• Effortful breathing;
• Heavy breathing at night.
How many apply to you? Do you sigh? Do you breathe through your mouth? Do you wake up with a dry mouth in the morning? Does your breathing get faster or chaotic when you are stressed?



Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide or CO2 is a gas created from our metabolic process as an end product. The human lungs require 5% CO2 or 40 mmHg. If we breathe too heavily, CO2 is exhaled or washed from our lungs. A loss of CO2 from lungs results in a reduction of CO2 in the blood, tissues and cells.
The release of oxygen from red blood cells depends on the partial pressure or quantity of carbon dioxide in your lungs/arterial blood. When one is overbreathing, carbon dioxide is removed from the body, causing the oxygen to “stick” to haemoglobin within the red blood cells. This prevents its release into tissues and organs. This bond, discovered in 1904, is known as the Bohr Effect.
It is worth noting that during normal conditions, 75% of your intake of oxygen is exhaled while breathing a healthy volume of four to six litres per minute. Even during intense exercise, it is estimated that 25% of our oxygen intake is exhaled. Breathing a volume greater than normal does not increase the amount of oxygen in your blood, as it is already 97–98% saturated.

The Bohr Effect simply explained
Healthy people have quiet and unnoticeable breathing. While they are resting, you cannot see or hear their breathing.
Quiet breathing ensures optimum partial pressure of carbon dioxide within your lungs, blood, tissues and cells. The release of oxygen from your blood depends on the presence of carbon dioxide.
Overbreathing causes a loss of carbon dioxide from your lungs, blood, tissues and cells.
This results in less oxygen being released from your blood into your tissues and organs. The more you breathe, the more your body is being starved of oxygen.
Breathing through your mouth, sighs, sniffing, noticeable breathing, hearing your breathing during rest or having a low Control Pause (explained later) indicates that you are starving your body of oxygen. Your brain is being starved, resulting in anxiety, depression and stress.


Dilation of blood vessels and airways
Carbon dioxide relaxes the smooth muscles that surround the airways, arteries and capillaries.
With a normal breathing volume of 5 litres of air per minute, the partial pressure of carbon dioxide amounts to 40mmHg. Each 1 mmHg drop of arterial CO2 reduces blood flow to the brain by 2%.(2) In other words, oxygenation of your brain significantly decreases when you breathe heavily.
The heavier you breathe, the more you feed your hyperventilation or overbreathing related problems. Have you ever noticed that you get light-headed after taking a number of big breaths? Have you ever noticed being very tired in the morning after a night’s breathing through the mouth? How tired are you after a day’s talking? Do you notice that, as you get stressed, your breathing gets faster, resulting in a mental block and difficulty in making worthwhile decisions? Heavy breathing feeds anxiety and stress.
Overbreathing causes depression, stress and anxiety
Lower carbon dioxide within the blood causes a constriction of the carotid artery, the main blood vessel going to the brain. The extent of constriction depends on genetic predisposition but has been estimated by Gibbs (1992) to be as much as 50% for those with anxiety and panic attacks.(3) This finding is also supported by Ball & Shekhar (1997).(4)
Other researchers, including Balestrino and Somjen (1988)(5) and Huttunen et al. (1999),(6) have demonstrated that CO2 reduces cortical excitability. Cited in Normal Breathing: the key to vital health, “breathing too much makes the human brain abnormally excited due to reduced CO2 concentrations. As a result, the brain gets literally out of control due to appearance of spontaneous and
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asynchronous (‘self-generated’) thoughts.” Balestrino and Somjen (1988) in their summary directly claimed that, “The brain, by regulating breathing, controls its own excitability.”(7)
Dr Robert Fried, professor of psychology, states that “the first stage of chronic graded hypoxia (insufficient oxygen), which has repeatedly been shown in the case of chronic hyperventilation, is depression of mood and activity.”(8)
Cardiologist Claude Lum comments that “Hyperventilation presents a collection of bizarre and often apparently unrelated symptoms, which may affect any part of the body, and any organ or any system.”(9) He further labels hyperventilation syndrome as the fat file syndrome, noting that patients go from doctor to doctor in an attempt to get help for their symptoms. However, because chronic hyperventilation is overlooked in most instances, the patient might be told after a series of tests that there is nothing wrong with him or her, thus increasing the size of the patients’ file and further adding to his or her anxiety.
In the late Professor Buteyko’s words, “Exhaling Carbon Dioxide from the organism brings about spasms in bronchi, vessels and intestines, etc. This reduces oxygen supply, leading to oxygen deficiency, making one’s breath heavier, thus completing the vicious circle.”

[Kirk]

Fullpockets, thanks for the information.

[fullpockets]

Thank you for that PanicCured! No worries Kirk, I really want to bring awareness about mouth breathing.